PE-3

PE-3 PHYSICAL ACCESS CONTROL

Overview

Number	Title	Impact	Priority	Subject Area
PE-3	Physical Access Control	LOW	P1	Physical And Environmental Protection

Instructions
The organization: PE-3a. Enforces physical access authorizations at Assignment: organization-defined entry/exit points to the facility where the information system resides by; PE-3a.1. Verifying individual access authorizations before granting access to the facility; and PE-3a.2. Controlling ingress/egress to the facility using Selection (one or more): Assignment: organization-defined physical access control systems/devices; guards; PE-3b. Maintains physical access audit logs for Assignment: organization-defined entry/exit points; PE-3c. Provides Assignment: organization-defined security safeguards to control access to areas within the facility officially designated as publicly accessible; PE-3d. Escorts visitors and monitors visitor activity Assignment: organization-defined circumstances requiring visitor escorts and monitoring; PE-3e. Secures keys, combinations, and other physical access devices; PE-3f. Inventories Assignment: organization-defined physical access devices every Assignment: organization-defined frequency; and PE-3g. Changes combinations and keys Assignment: organization-defined frequency and/or when keys are lost, combinations are compromised, or individuals are transferred or terminated.

Instructions

The organization:

PE-3a.

Enforces physical access authorizations at Assignment: organization-defined entry/exit points to the facility where the information system resides by;

PE-3a.1.

Verifying individual access authorizations before granting access to the facility; and

PE-3a.2.

Controlling ingress/egress to the facility using Selection (one or more): Assignment: organization-defined physical access control systems/devices; guards;

PE-3b.

Maintains physical access audit logs for Assignment: organization-defined entry/exit points;

PE-3c.

Provides Assignment: organization-defined security safeguards to control access to areas within the facility officially designated as publicly accessible;

PE-3d.

Escorts visitors and monitors visitor activity Assignment: organization-defined circumstances requiring visitor escorts and monitoring;

PE-3e.

Secures keys, combinations, and other physical access devices;

PE-3f.

Inventories Assignment: organization-defined physical access devices every Assignment: organization-defined frequency; and

PE-3g.

Changes combinations and keys Assignment: organization-defined frequency and/or when keys are lost, combinations are compromised, or individuals are transferred or terminated.

Guidance
This control applies to organizational employees and visitors. Individuals (e.g., employees, contractors, and others) with permanent physical access authorization credentials are not considered visitors. Organizations determine the types of facility guards needed including, for example, professional physical security staff or other personnel such as administrative staff or information system users. Physical access devices include, for example, keys, locks, combinations, and card readers. Safeguards for publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities include, for example, cameras, monitoring by guards, and isolating selected information systems and/or system components in secured areas. Physical access control systems comply with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, standards, and guidance. The Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management Program provides implementation guidance for identity, credential, and access management capabilities for physical access control systems. Organizations have flexibility in the types of audit logs employed. Audit logs can be procedural (e.g., a written log of individuals accessing the facility and when such access occurred), automated (e.g., capturing ID provided by a PIV card), or some combination thereof. Physical access points can include facility access points, interior access points to information systems and/or components requiring supplemental access controls, or both. Components of organizational information systems (e.g., workstations, terminals) may be located in areas designated as publicly accessible with organizations safeguarding access to such devices.

Guidance

This control applies to organizational employees and visitors. Individuals (e.g., employees, contractors, and others) with permanent physical access authorization credentials are not considered visitors. Organizations determine the types of facility guards needed including, for example, professional physical security staff or other personnel such as administrative staff or information system users. Physical access devices include, for example, keys, locks, combinations, and card readers. Safeguards for publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities include, for example, cameras, monitoring by guards, and isolating selected information systems and/or system components in secured areas. Physical access control systems comply with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, standards, and guidance. The Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management Program provides implementation guidance for identity, credential, and access management capabilities for physical access control systems. Organizations have flexibility in the types of audit logs employed. Audit logs can be procedural (e.g., a written log of individuals accessing the facility and when such access occurred), automated (e.g., capturing ID provided by a PIV card), or some combination thereof. Physical access points can include facility access points, interior access points to information systems and/or components requiring supplemental access controls, or both. Components of organizational information systems (e.g., workstations, terminals) may be located in areas designated as publicly accessible with organizations safeguarding access to such devices.

Enhancements

PE-3 (1) Information System Access

HIGH

This control enhancement provides additional physical security for those areas within facilities where there is a concentration of information system components (e.g., server rooms, media storage areas, data and communications centers).

The organization enforces physical access authorizations to the information system in addition to the physical access controls for the facility at Assignment: organization-defined physical spaces containing one or more components of the information system.

PE-3 (2) Facility / Information System Boundaries

Organizations determine the extent, frequency, and/or randomness of security checks to adequately mitigate risk associated with exfiltration.

The organization performs security checks Assignment: organization-defined frequency at the physical boundary of the facility or information system for unauthorized exfiltration of information or removal of information system components.

PE-3 (3) Continuous Guards / Alarms / Monitoring

The organization employs guards and/or alarms to monitor every physical access point to the facility where the information system resides 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

PE-3 (4) Lockable Casings

The organization uses lockable physical casings to protect Assignment: organization-defined information system components from unauthorized physical access.

PE-3 (5) Tamper Protection

Organizations may implement tamper detection/prevention at selected hardware components or tamper detection at some components and tamper prevention at other components. Tamper detection/prevention activities can employ many types of anti-tamper technologies including, for example, tamper-detection seals and anti-tamper coatings. Anti-tamper programs help to detect hardware alterations through counterfeiting and other supply chain-related risks.

The organization employs Assignment: organization-defined security safeguards to Selection (one or more): detect; prevent physical tampering or alteration of Assignment: organization-defined hardware components within the information system.

PE-3 (6) Facility Penetration Testing

The organization employs a penetration testing process that includes Assignment: organization-defined frequency, unannounced attempts to bypass or circumvent security controls associated with physical access points to the facility.